Introduction to Astrophysics

Contents

Historical context

1. Early Views
2. Aristotle
3. Nicolas Copernicus
4. Galileo
5. Johannes Kepler
6. Isaac Newton
7. Albert Einstein

Stars and galaxies

1. Stellar Luminosity
2. Stellar Classification
3. Hertzsprung‐Russell Diagram

Stellar Types

Real

1. Light Stars
2. Heavy Stars
3. Main Sequence Stars
4. Red Giants
5. White Dwarfs
6. Black holes
7. Neutron Stars

Hypothetical

The science of Astronomy relies on universality of Physical laws. "Same in the heavens as on earth". The world of stellar objects presents us with stupendously larger scales of agglomeration of matter and energy, at which to appy the known laws. Thus we are led to new predictions of entities that have never been observed before. Likewise some species of elementary particles and certain states of matter never observed on Earth need to be postulated in order to accord with observations. Some objects and phenomena falling in such categories and awaiting confirmation or further observational details are in this list. Eventually we expect them to be confirmed in all detail. If they contradict our predictions or conflict with phenomena known on Earth, well that would be even more exciting because that would be a new discovery awaiting explanation.

1. Black Dwarfs
2. Quark Stars
3. Protostars
4. Dark Matter
5. Dark Energy
6. Vacuum Energy

Star clusters and galaxies

1. Star Cluster
2. Galaxies:Shapes and Evolution

Quasars and Pulsars

1. Quasars
2. Pulsars

Appendices

1. A: Laws and Formulae
2. B: Astronomical Constants

See also

• Space Transport and Engineering Methods
• Rocket Propulsion